By NNN-APP
Islamabad : After the completion of scrutiny process by the Returning Officers (ROs) all over the country a total of 12,443 candidates have been declared as validly nominated for general seats in national and provincial assemblies,while 916 nomination papers were rejected.
For the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims in national and provincial assemblies 512 and 392 nomination papers were found valid respectively.
According to the figures released by Election Commission on Thursday over all 3,792 nomination papers were found valid for National Assembly’s general seats while 8,651 papers were found valid for general seats in four provincial assemblies. A total of 61 nomination papers have been found valid for the National Assembly’s two general seats from the Federal Capital.
A total of 237 nomination papers were rejected for NA seats throughout the country while 679 nomination papers were rejected for provincial assemblies seats.
As far as validly nominated candidates for the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims,in all 904 candidates have been declared as validly nominated by the Returning Officers of the Federal Capital and the four provinces.
A total of 392 nomination papers were found valid for seats reserved for non-Muslims in NA and provincial assemblies.
Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro Thursday said the government was facilitating the Election Commission to allow people to elect their representatives for national and provincial assemblies.
Talking to a delegation of Senators, who called on him here, he said all necessary steps are being taken to create an enabling environment for holding free, fair, and transparent election.
He said the caretaker set-up will make every possible effort to ensure that the democratic process continues in a peaceful manner.
The Prime Minister said caretaker government is well prepared to take up the challenge to resolve all relevant issues by developing consensus among all the stakeholders to create congenial atmosphere which would facilitate the Election Commission to conduct election in a free and fair manner.
The Senators told the Prime Minister that President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to lift the state of emergency and restore the constitution on December 16 has been well received by the people and would have a positive impact on the political atmosphere.
Pakistan People’s Party will participate in the upcoming general election to ensure peaceful transition to democracy, PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto said Thursday. Free and fair elections are essential for smooth transition of power and PPP has therefore decided to participate in the polls, she told media after her visit to Shrine of Peer of Golra Sharif near Islamabad.
Benazir claimed that the ruling coalition wanted to run away from elections but could not do so due to pressure of political parties.
She alleged that plans were being hatched to rig the polls and threatened of a countrywide movement of opposition parties if any attempt is made to manipulate the elections.
Ms Bhutto said that the opposition parties were drawing up a charter of minimum demands for free and fair elections and would give a deadline for its acceptance.
“If the demands for a transparent elections were not met, the opposition parties would launch a massive movement,” the PPP chairperson vowed.
MMA’s decision to participate in the ensuing elections was final, as JUI workers have been asked to gear up the electioneering campaign, Secretary General MMA Maulana Fazalur Rehman said.
Talking to PTV, he said JUI is part of MMA and it will not boycott the elections under any circumstances. JUI will remain intact and will field its own candidates on Jamaat-e-Islami seats, even if they decide to boycott.
Boycott would definitely prove a big mistake like resignations from the assemblies in the past. People who follow the decision of APDM’s boycott were not on the path of MMA, he said.
Some powers want postponement of elections. Let the people be allowed to choose their representatives, he observed.
“There is no atmosphere favouring boycott. Politics should move towards reconciliation and avoid agitation and violence,” he added.
The MMA supreme council had decided that only unanimous boycott decision can prove effective. The supreme council also approved the MMA manifesto and talk of boycott by JI was astonishing, he said.
MMA was formed to clear perception of muslims in general and Ulema in particular that they are not extremists and can do politics through peaceful means, he added.